Compressor mechanism for filing cabinets and the like



June 3, 1941..

E. R. HOUSTON ET AL GOMBRESSOR MECHANISM FOR FILING CABINETS AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 9, 1939 1 227 I 1| '1; N I \!i 1 il U 53 1 c I 66 M ii @unn'nuunnuu I "1 gt I I H H l i'l/ INVENTOR5.

ATTORNE Patented June 3, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE COMPRESSOR MECHANISM FOR FILING CABINETS AND' THE LIKE Application October 9, 1939, Serial No. 298,605

6 Claims.

The present invention relates to filing devices, and more in particular to novel locking means for abutment or follower members therefor.

Among the objects of the present invention is to provide novel mechanism for positioning and locking an abutment or follower member in a filing device whereby the same can be easily and readily moved into various positions with respect of said filed material.

Another object within the purview of the present invention is to provide novel means associated with an abutment or follower member and the file support therefor whereby various adjustments thereof in respect of filed material can be obtained and the same moved into uniform engaging relation with said filed material.

More particularly, the present invention comprehends the idea of providing novel mechanism embodying locking features for an abutment or follower member of a filing device which can be adjusted with a high degree of accuracy with respect of the filed material.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel locking mechanism for an abutment or follower member of a filing device which is so constructed and arranged as to substantially eliminate noise due to the operation thereof upon movement of the abutment member in the device in respect of the filed material when the filing device is in use.

The invention in its more specific application involves the use of the novel locking mechanism according to the present invention in combination with a spring compressor pad for the filing device, the said pad, in conjunction with its use with the said locking means, providing a novel arrangement for accurately and uniformly positioning the said abutment with respect of the filed material.

As a further object, the present invention embraces novel handle mechanism for the said filing device which is adapted to be inconspicuously arranged with respect to the filing support but readily manipulated for use when it is desired to operate said support. In an embodiment incorporating this handle, the same is adapted to be associated with the top of the file drawer front, and in its inoperative position is in close association with the said top, the said handle being further provided with means for retaining a card or the like for identifying the filed material.

Other objects, features, capabilities and advantages are comprehended by the invention, as

will later appear and as are inherently possessed thereby.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan View of a filing drawer or tray embodying novel locking mechanism for the follower or pad thereof;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of the drawer or tray of Figure 1 of the drawing:

Figure 3 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation, the same being taken in the plane substantially represented by line 3-3 of Figure 2 of the drawing;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view in cross section taken in the plane substantially represented by line 4-4 of Figure 3 of the drawing; and

Figure dis a fragmentary view in section taken in the plane substantially represented by line 5-5 of Figure 3 of the drawing.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, an embodiment selected to illustrate the present invention comprises a tray or drawer, generally represented as 2, which comprises side walls 4 and 6, bottom wall 8, front I0 and rear wall I2, this drawer providing room for filing cards or other similar material and may, if desired, be enclosed within a suitable filing cabinet or the like.

The filed material is normally disposed between the front I0 and the follower Hi, the latter being adapted to be adjustably positioned with respect to said front to conform to the quantity of material filed at any one time in the drawer. This follower member comprises a carriage in the form of a plate It extending transversely between the walls 4 and 6 and which carriage incorporates in its construction the opposed skids or stabilizers l8 and 28 adapted to be operable within guideways 22 and 24 formed in the Walls 4 and 6, respectively. The said walls are offset outwardly to form lower wall portions 26 and 28 adapted to slidably engage the said skids I8 and 20 for supporting the abutment mechanism. The walls 4 and 6 at the guideways are further provided with walls 3i] and 32, respectively, which terminate in the inturned flanges 34 and 36 spaced in relation to walls 26 and 28 to provide openings for receiving the skids l3 and 2H and embracing the same to prevent displacement thereof.

Disposed in spaced relation to the plate i 6 is a compressor pad 38 in the form of a plate having abutting relation with respect to said plate It by way of a plurality of flanges 40 and 42 for holding the same in association therewith, the said compressor pad being maintained in'its normal spaced relation with the plate l6 by way of a plurality of leaf springs 44 connected to plate l6 and adapted to exert pressure upon said pad 38. This construction provides a resilient abutment means for a plurality of files, such as cards or the like, disposed between front it and the abutment M in any of the latters adjusted positions.

Connected to the plate 16 and in opposed relation to compressor pad 38 is a bracket 56 substantially coextensive with the said plate It between walls 4 and 6 and being provided with an upstanding wall 48. Rotatably mounted on the bracket 46 adjacent each end thereof by way of pins or shafts, such as 59, are the opposed pinions 52 and 54 adapted to mesh with racks on'the walls 4 and 6, which racks in the present embodiment are formed as an integral part of said walls and comprise a plurality of spaced slots 56 disposed in the walls 38 and 32 of the guideways 22 and 2d. The pinion teeth are received within the said slots 55 and accordingly, upon movement of the said abutment into its various adjusted positions, said pinions rotate in accordance with said movement.

In order to eliminate noise due to the operation of the abutment member, the pinions 52 and 54 are preferably formed of non-metallic material,

such as compressed fiber or the like, whereby noise is substantially eliminated during their cooperative relation with the metal walls 4 and 5. This is highly desirable in a device of this kind inasmuch as filing devices of the type herein described are in constant use and the compressor or abutment member is continuously being moved forwardly and rearwardly of the drawer to manipulate the filed material.

In order to prevent the pinions from rotating in one direction, a locking element 58 in the form of an angle having a downwardly depending part 60 and a horizontally disposed part 62 is provided between saidpinions 52 and 54. This locking element is provided with hinge connections tobracket 46 as at 64 and 66, between which is an upstanding part 68 which is adapted to be manually gripped for moving the said locking element 46 about its hinge connections 6 3 and 66. The locking element 58 is of such a length that when in a position as shown in Figure 4 of the drawing the ends of leg (it thereof will engage between adjacent teeth of pinions 52 and 54 to prevent rotation thereof in one direction, thus preventing movement of the abutment or follower member rearwardly in respect of the sides 4 and 6. A spring '30, which has one of its ends connected to leg Eli and the other of its ends connected to plate I t, is provided in order to normally position the said locking element 58 in looking engagement with pinions 52 and 54.

When it is desired to move the abutment member rearwardly in the tray, locking element 58 can be moved with respect to its hinge connections 54 and 66 to release the same from engagement with pinions 52 and E54, and by application of force against the action of spring "it to the said element 58 through the part 68, the said abutment can be moved as described. By providing the rack and pinion mechanism for holding the said abutment member in various positions, it is possible to accurately adjust the abutment with respect of the filed material, it being noted that this mechanism lends itself to minute adjustments determined only by the pitch of the teeth of the said pinion. By providing these pinions of the desired design, accurate positioning of the said abutment can be obtained, it being further noted that the resilient compressor pad I 4 cooperates with the locking means for determining the position of and pressure applied by the abutment in respect of the filed material.

As a further feature of construction of the present filing mechanism, the front I0 is formed with oppositely disposed plates 12 and 14 diverging toward the bottom plate 8 of the drawer and having a top plate portion it provided with spaced apertures '38 and SE In order to manipulate the tray, a handle 82 is provided, the said handle having opposed legs such as 34 extending through apertures i8 and 89. Each of the said legs intermediate its ends is formed with an inwardly disposed bracket or lug which may be provided by inwardly offsetting said leg. These lugs are adapted to engage the top plate '16 adjacent apertures lli and 80 whereby the handle can be used for manipulating the tray. In inoperative position the handle BB is disposed in close association with the top plate 76. The lower part of each leg is of tapering construction conforming substantially to the tapered relation of walls i2 and M, which parts cooperate with the said walls to hold the said handle against displacement in its inoperative position and to substantially eliminate objectionable noises which would otherwise occur due to the relative movement of the handle with respect of the tray.

Secured to the top surface of handle 82 is a holder 88 having inturned flanges providing a groove for holding a label or the like which may be used for indicating the subject matter of the filed material.

While we have herein described and upon the drawing shown an illustrative embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may comprehend other constructions, arrangements of parts, details and features without departing from the spirit of the invention.

We claim:

1. In a filing device, the combination of a file supporting member having side walls, an abutment member movably mounted with respect to said first-named member between said walls, said wall-s each having a rack, opposed pinions mounted on said abutment member for engagement with said racks, and releasable locking means engageable between adjacent teeth of said pinions for locking said abutment member against rearward movement in any of its adjusted positions with respect of said supporting member.

2. In a filing device, the combination of a file supporting member having side walls, an abutment member movably mounted with respect to said first-named member between said walls, said walls each having a rack, opposed pinions mounted on said abutment member for engagement with said racks, and a locking member hinged to said abutment member and releasably engaging between adjacent teeth of said pinions for locking said abutment member against rearward movement in any of its adjusted positions with respect of said supporting member,

3. In a filing device, the combination of a file supporting member having side walls, an abutment member disposed between said walls, said walls being provided with guideways, said walls at said guideways being provided with a series of slots forming a rack, said abutment member having supporting elements mounted in said guideways for positioning the same with respect to said supporting member, opposed pinions mountedon said abutment member engageable with said racks, and releasable locking means engageable between adjacent teeth of said pinions for locking said abutment member against rearward movement in any of its adjusted positions with respect of said supporting member.

4. In a filing device, the combination of a file supporting member having side walls, an abutment member disposed between said walls, said walls being provided with guideways, said walls at said guideways being provided with a series of slots forming a rack, said abutment member having supporting elements mounted in said guideways for positioning the same with respect to said supporting member, opposed pinions mounted on said abutment member engageable with said racks, a locking member hinged to said abutment member and releasably engaging between adjacent teeth of said pinions for locking said abutment member against rearward movement in any of its adjusted positions with respect of said supporting member, and means for normally urging said locking member into engagement with said pinions.

5. In a filing device, the combination of a file supporting member having side walls, an abutment member movably mounted with respect to said first-named member between said walls, a rack provided on at least one of said walls, a pinion mounted on said abutment member engaging said rack, and a readily manipulable releasable locking means engageable with said pinion to prevent its rotation for locking said abutment member against rearward movement in any of its adjusted positions with respect of said supporting member.

6. In a filing device, the combination of a file supporting member having side walls, an abutment member movably mounted with respect to said first-named member between said walls, said walls each having a rack, opposed pinions mounted on said abutment member for engagement with said racks, and releasable locking means extending between and being engageable with said pinions to prevent their rotation for locking said abutment member against rearward movement in any of its adjusted positions with respect of said supporting member.

ELMER R. HOUSTON. JOSEPH F. DACHLET. JOSEPH LEO HAUSER. 

